Networked subscriber television distribution

• US 20030097662A1
• Filed: 11/14/2002
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russ, Samuel H., Gaul, Michael A., Lett, David B., Robinson, Jonathan A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,849,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/117
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440254 by altering signal-to-noise parameters, e.g. requantization
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

A master device interactively distributes a television signal to a remote device for remote display with low latency between a user input and a television signal change.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting from a headend facility a plurality of audio/video signals, the system comprising:

a master set top for receiving the plurality of audio/video signals, the master set top comprising a plurality of tuners, each tuner for providing an audio/video signal; and

at least one remote device in communication with the master set top, the at least one remote device for selecting and receiving a selected audio/video signal from one of the plurality of tuners, each remote device for outputting the selected audio/video signal to a coupled display,

wherein one of the plurality of tuners is responsive to one of the at least one remote device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote device is coupled to the master set top via a wired medium.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one remote device is a remote set top, and wherein the remote set top receives the plurality of audio/video signals via a connection, the remote set top comprising a tuner for selecting an audio/video signal from the plurality of received audio/video signals and for outputting the selected audio/video signal to the coupled display.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote device receives the selected audio/video signal via wireless devices.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote device includes a computer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of audio/video signals received by the master set top is an analog signal, the master set top further comprising an encoder for encoding the analog signals and for providing digital signals.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one remote device further comprises a decoder for decoding the digital signals prior to outputting to the coupled display.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one remote device provides a control signal via the wireless devices to the master set top for controlling at least one of the plurality of tuners.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of audio/video signals received by the master set top is a digital signal.

10. A subscriber network for distributing a plurality of media content signals to a plurality of remote devices, the subscriber network comprising:

a master set top for receiving the plurality of media content signals, the master set top including a plurality of tuners, each tuner for providing a tuned media content signal;

a first remote device in communication with the master set top for receiving a first tuned media content signal,

wherein the master set top, upon user input, selects the first tuned media content signal; and

a second remote device in communication with the master set top for selecting and receiving a second tuned media content signal.

11. The subscriber network of claim 10, wherein the first remote device includes one of a television, a computer, and a personal digital assistant.

12. The subscriber network of claim 10, wherein the second remote device is a remote set top.

13. The subscriber network of claim 12, wherein the remote set top is coupled to the master set top via a wired medium.

14. The subscriber network of claim 12, wherein the remote set top receives the second tuned media content signal via wireless devices.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of media content signals are a compressed digital signal.

16. The system of claim 10, the master device further including an encoder coupled to the plurality of tuners for receiving the second tuned media content signal and digitally encoding the second tuned media content signal into a digital signal.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second remote device comprises a decoder for decoding the encoded digital signal.